Each year we brew a special historic beer that connects our craft with the rich history and heritage of our region. This year, we’re proud to introduce COL. SOMERS’ LIBERTY TAVERN ALE!
Event to commemorate the brew along with release of Limited Edition bottles to be announced soon!
2026 Edition: The Story of Colonel Somers Liberty Tavern Ale – A collaboration of Somers Point Brewing & the Somers Point Historical Society. Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary, 1776-2026. Brewed in the town that helped write its own chapter of America’s story.
Long before Somers Point became the community we know today, the Somers family helped establish this important settlement on the shores of Great Egg Harbor Bay. Colonel Richard Somers was a prominent figure in the community during the American Revolution. A merchant, privateer and militia officer, Somers was involved in the maritime commerce that helped make this waterfront community an important center of activity during America’s struggle for independence. His tavern and homestead, dating to approximately 1771, remain part of Somers Point’s historic story.
Two and a half centuries later, Somers Point Brewing and the Somers Point Historical Society have joined together to raise a glass to that history. Colonel Somers’ Liberty Tavern Ale is a limited-edition beer created in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary and in recognition of the people of Somers Point who helped shape our community and our country. From the shores of Great Egg Harbor Bay to the birth of a nation, here’s to 250 years of American history.
We are grateful to the many individuals and organizations who helped us uncover historical facts, validate local folklore and bring these stories to life. A special mention to the Somers Point Historical Society and the Colonel Somers Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and helping keep our local history alive and relevant. It’s through collaborations like these that history continues to connect people, bringing us together over a beer. Cheers!
Interesting Facts:
- Colonel Richard Somers Sr. commanded the 3rd Battalion of the Gloucester County Militia (Atlantic County was not established until 1837) and helped protect the vulnerable Great Egg Harbor coast. Their militia and privateering activities disrupted British shipping and supported the wider American war effort.
- To keep the Continental army adequately supplied while British forces controlled much of the coastline, local privateers captured British vessels carrying useful cargo. The goods were then unloaded, sold and transported inland to support the American cause.
- Somers was connected to both sides of this effort: Militia command and maritime commerce. A 1777 newspaper notice advertised the sale of the brigantine Defiance, captured by Richard Somers Sr. with a military detachment serving as a coastal guard at Great Egg Harbor. It’s cargo included molasses, sugar, coffee, salt, cotton and whaling equipment.
- In December 1776, men from Colonel Richard Somer’s 3rd Battalion of the Gloucester country militia joined a larger American force under Colonel Samual Griffin in operations near Mount Holly, NJ helping draw Hessian troops away from Trenton shortly before George Washington’s historic crossing of the Delaware and attack (Battle of Trenton) on December 26th.
- Recorded sales from Somers’s general store: December 1774 entries appear to record approximately 35 gallons of rum sold in different quantities. The Atlantic County historical sites listing and Somers Point Heritage Tourism Committee’s historical trial guide identify the building at 599 Shore Road as Colonel Richard Somer’s homestead and tavern.
- Colonel Richard Somers’s Sr.’s son: Master Commandant Richard Somers (1778-1804) was a Navy officer and died during the ill-fated Intrepid mission in Tripoli during the First Barbary War. Our 2025 Historical Brew, the 11 MINUTE FUSE was brewed in commemoration of our naval hero honoring his courage, service and ultimate sacrifice.
- Somers family had been established in the area since 1693 when John Somers acquired land around Great Egg Harbor Bay and established a ferry connection across the bay. The settlement grew around the waterways, shipping and trade.